A recent survey commissioned by the United Arab Emirates’ Federal Authority for Government Human Resources found that the majority of employees in the Emirates rate their employers as good or very good in terms of providing flexible working hours.
The survey, carried out by YouGov, found that 64 percent of all workers said their employers were good or very good at providing flexibility, while 83 percent of Emirati respondents did so.
"It’s interesting to note the insights indicate a prominent trend towards an increasingly ‘remote workplace’, and as businesses continue to embrace technological advancements - this will only appreciate the convenience of flexible working hours and open up a world of possibilities for a workforce hungry for the perfect work/life balance,” YouGov’s research director Lara Al Barazi said.
Respondents also said that they believed flexible work arrangements increased productivity, a belief backed up by case studies in the United Kingdom .
In addition to the availability of flexible working hours, seven out of 10 respondents said their employer offered the option to work remotely.
The findings are part of a larger study for the UAE government on trends in human resources, which will be used to set employment policies and is to be revealed April 27 in Dubai.